Undercover
by Infatuated-Simplicity
Summary: In disguise and on a confidential mission was not exactly the best time or place to pursue personal matters, everyone knew that. In this situation he was happy to make an exception. In fact he was planning on it. NejixSaku. Rated to be safe but may contain adult themes later.
1. Chapter 1

Authors note: Here we are again, and so soon! In this I was thinking both would be a little older and a little wiser, so late 20's. And we can assume that Neji is still alive, obviously. There's not much more to say than that. On to the story.

* * *

Hyuuga Neji was not the kind of man to sit idly by whilst others worked. Such laziness was not in his nature and it most certainly had not been encouraged by his uncle growing up. There were occasions when he would have liked to sit about and watch the sky as Shikamaru did but there was a time and place for both types of genius. It just so happened that sitting about was not for him. There had to be a purpose to the sitting otherwise his legs began to twitch and he quickly became agitated. Sitting for the sake of sitting, it seemed, served his disposition little good.

Idleness was the devil in disguise. And if ever there was a group of people that made him want to trek around the world for shits an giggles it was his family. Each member in the compound had a routine that they stuck to with religious fervor. For the first few days he had tried to do the same but he found it tedious when rest was forced on him. He was not rebellious but he was obstinate and he liked to work. It kept him occupied and was rarely the same from one mission to the next. At the very least the scenery changed. The whole issue got him thinking about whether he had always enjoyed such routines and he found that when he really thought about it the truth shone through. He hated it and always had.

That was a fact profoundly cemented in his mind after a whole months leave. He had been inactive for far too long and there was only so much training and tea drinking or mediating one could do before they slowly started to go insane with the monotony of it all. Thus when he received his first summons in what felt like forever he felt almost giddy. In fact, had he been anyone else, giddy might have been the best word to describe it. For all that he was relieved, his anticipation did not show on his face. Instead he gathered his things and swiftly exited the compound.

That was how he had found himself sitting before the large wooden doors of the Kage's office, a sight that was all too familiar to him. Until the months leave that had been forced on him, he had not taken time off from his duties in almost a full three years. His ANBU team was constantly on the move. They were systematically going through the bingo book and removing any rouge nins on the list. With new rouges constantly popping up they had their work cut out for them. No one wanted another Akatsuki debockle.

And his team was not the only one. One other specialty team had been traveling about the known world under Konoha's symbol eliminating any threats. He was not sure who was on that team, secrecy was of the utmost in ANBU, but he had an idea. There were only two members on Team Fox. One of them he was almost positive was Naruto, as the code name did little to hide his identity. The other was harder to pinpoint but elimination had it down to Tenzo or Sakura. If he had been a betting man his money would have been on the latter.

He could not be fully sure though. The two teams were never in the kage's office at the same time nor had he ever gotten a glimpse of the pair in uniform, let alone in action. They were out when his team was in. What he did know was that Team Fox always left and impression on the enemy, one that was deemed almost unfair. Intimidation was the name of the game and the hokage was using it to the fullest.

"Enter!" The call came from inside the office, the voice of the copy nin strained more than usual. Neji glanced around casually and found himself to be the only one there. The rest of his team had yet to arrive and there was no other team waiting. It was not like Sai to be late although it was a developing habit for Shikamaru and Kiba. Still it would not do to keep the Hokage waiting. One of them had to be there to hear the briefing and it might as well have been him.

When he pushed the double doors open a pile of papers greeted him. It took a moment but the sound of rushed scribbling finally stopped and the copy nin stood to address him.

"Hyuuga Neji," the older man began and immediately Neji saw the weight on his shoulders. That was unlike Kakashi, who had surprised everyone by assuming his duties as kage with a mixture of quiet command and tactful action that had naturally appeared under pressure. He was rarely effected visually by his role no matter the circumstances. Another side effect was that he was now oddly on time for everything, perhaps because everyone now came to him. Either way the only people not shocked by how well the man took to the position were his ex-students who feigned shock but secretly had known all along it was bound to happen.

Silver eyes took in his surroundings. There was no guard and no elders, nor was an assistant anywhere near the premises. The hokage was completely alone in his office which was rather unusual. It could only mean one thing; this mission was far from ordinary. Had Neji been another man his back would have straightened and his shoulders would have pushed back but he was not and he had entered the room with the attitude that graced him with every mission; absolute professionalism and a keen attitude.

The scroll in the copy nin's hand was black in color and Neji knew what that meant. It was rare, even in ANBU, to receive a mission that held that level of security and while he had received more than most he had never been alone. He had always been with his team. Whatever this was it was highly classified as the Kage examined the scroll in his hand quickly before handing it over. "I have called you in for a mission of the utmost importance."

Neji glanced over the scroll, which said so little that he did not really understand what he was being asked to do. All he knew is where he was going. Shiobara. He was heading east. The rest of the details were crossed out and illegible, presumably having referred to a previous mission that was linked. Thankfully Kakashi deemed fit to inform him.

"This is confidential, even among our own shinobi. Team Fox is in need of assistance. The target has been identified but unable to be acquired at the present time." Neji was confused. He had seen Naruto earlier that day spending time with his cousin in the rock garden. Surely if Team Fox was out then so was Naruto. Then again there was always the possibility that he had been wrong about both members and that Team Fox was in fact a completely different set of nins. If so, where in Kami's name had they been keeping such powerful nins until now? Buried under the mountain?

Kakashi continued. "I should say a fox, as only one member was sent out." That explained a great deal and for some reason Neji found that he was pleased by it. At least he had not been wrong all this time. His theory was still possible. If he was right, it was not hard to understand why Kakashi had made that choice. Naruto as well known and once he showed his techniques he left his signature, but then again so did Sakura. Both were easy to spot in a battle and it made him second guess his assumption. The only reason to leave Naruto behind was to avoid having blame cast on the right target and that would also lead to Sakura being left behind. Still Neji said nothing, though he was disappointed. He had hoped his theory was right and had hoped to see his favorite medic again. But if it was stealth the hokage was after then he understood the need for discretion.

"You will go to The Sarada Springs where you will sit down for lunch and meet the operative at 12pm on the dot two days from now. Can I assume you accept?" Kakashi asked eyeing the younger man carefully. He had been put on leave for a reason and they were all aware he had a habit of overworking. Kakashi was just checking to see that the rest had done him some good. In a sense it had. He could joyously assure the hokage that he was rested and ready to go on active duty again.

"Of course," the Hyuuga replied waiting for the order to head out.

Kakashi did not disappoint. "You have thirty minutes to leave. You will be travelling alone and I expect you to be in the city on time in civilian clothes. It will take the full two days. When you make contact with the operative and you will receive further instruction."

Neji watched the older man reluctantly return to his desk. After a moment of silence Kakashi glanced back to the spot Neji was still standing in. With a nod he gave permission for the Hyuuga to speak, looking a little frustrated at having stand on ceremony. "Who am I meeting?"

Both eyes closed in his typical fashion for a double crescent appearance and Neji greatly suspected that under the mask Kakashi found something a bit amusing. "You will know the op upon contact." Well, that could have been just about any shinobi in the village and Neji was hardly in the mood to guess. So without further ado he bolted out the door and home to get his things. Shiobara was far and if he wanted to make it on time for the meeting he could not afford to dally about.

* * *

Two days of solitude in the wilderness was not as ideal as it sounded. It was very similar to his meditation and he'd had plenty of that already. Even so it had passed quickly enough. The promise of some fashion of work was waiting in Shiobara and he was itching to get there.

When the edge of the city came into view he slowed his pace. On a civilian road into town he was not stopped by anyone and he passed a number of couples and market stalls. Shiobara was known to be quite busy and was the favorite vacation site to the local daimyo. The city stank of booze and smoke. Every where Neji turned there was some fashion of gambling house or tea house near by. And there were hotels at each corner. Shiobara was a tourist town, a well known vacation spot that housed any and every activity a visitor might want including a temple and the local daimyo's summer home.

The Sarada Spring, he soon discovered after asking a local merchant, was one of the nicest hotels in the area boasting a natural hot-spring at the other end of town very close to where the daimyo's home was situated. Midday was quickly drawing close and so with purposeful strides he made his way to the other end of town, doing his best not to draw too much attention. He was standing out despite his best efforts, of that much he was sure. A fair few people had taken notice of his eyes, a trait that was hardly common unless one found them selves in the Hyuuga compound. Thankfully in spite of the size the city was easy to navigate and the Sarada Springs were not hard to find.

He knew he was in the right place when he approached gate. It was an older establishment with a beautifully decorated traditional building. Someone took great care and pride in ensuring that the hotel was the epitome of traditional opulence. The humidity in the air was distinctly more concentrated, increasing with each step he took towards the establishment. The gardens were well maintained and because they were in the start of summer the blossoms were still flowering. The smell was heavenly, sharply contrasting to the lingering haze of drink and smoke from outside. Due to the lovely weather a number of tables had been set out for lunch on the veranda.

An older woman wearing a very restricting looking kimono shuffled up to him as he entered the grounds and bowed low. "Hyuuga-sama we have been expecting you. Please, follow me." A wrinkled hand extended to direct him up the path through she did not wait to see if he would follow. She seemed to expect him to.

Apprehensive, he followed along not sure how the elderly hostess knew his name. This was meant to be a stealth mission. He was dressed as a civilian. Either the mission had been compromised and his cover was already blown or the operative had given his name out freely, in which case what was the point of the uncomfortable attire? For even if this older woman had come across a Hyuuga before, he had certainly never been here. He kept on his toes as he was escorted through the main lobby and out onto the veranda.

"Anata!" Neji stopped dead in his tracks. He knew that voice and immediately Kakashi's hesitancy in telling him who he was meeting made sense. His apprehension about the operatives decision floated away, knowing she must have had a reason. "How was your trip?" The young woman that approached him was clad in a lovely navy silk kimono of the utmost finery and at first he thought his ears had deceived him. A black head of hair was pulled back into an elegant bun. A light dusting of make up sat on her high cheeks bones and a muted shade of pink adorned her lips. At a glance she would have fooled him, if only for a second. When he saw green eyes he immediately relaxed.

Kakashi was right. He had known her the minute she made him aware of her presence. By the time she had reached him he was already holding out a hand for her to take, having caught onto the game they were playing; although arguably she would have to tell him the details. She reached up to lay a kiss on his cheek. In that instant his heart skipped a beat but he composed himself in record time. He wanted to grin. He had always known it was her, the second more elusive member of Team Fox. His admiration for the woman before him had been high before but now it soared.

She was well prepared, he noted, taking into account their surroundings. The hotel was well placed and the disguise was good, almost too good. Her voice had changed slightly, or rather her manner of speaking had. She sounded controlled, in the same way that Hinata did when she was feeling confident enough to subdue the stutter. That may have been what she was copying. It was a good measure to stick to. As a member of the Hyuuga clan she would have been expected to act in a certain way and her speech would need to reflect it. The daimyo would suspect something if she did not act the part of a high ranking clan member's wife and she was taking extra precautions by sticking to that in the presence of any and all in the town.

The hotel's manager scuttled past to a table where he found that lunch was ready for him and for that he was thankful. He had not eaten properly since he left Konoha. The spread looked delicious but instead he found himself looking at her, trying to asses her current situation. He always found himself looking at her when she was present, a fact that he was fully aware of. She appeared to be unharmed and she seemed to be under no duress. She was beautiful, as always, but aside from that he could tell very little about her condition and thus the best thing to do was ask.

"It was tedious, but I am pleased to find you well." He squeezed her hand as they approached the table aware that she was already reading into his words for the underlying messages. "I worried about you travelling alone."

"I was worried about you too, but we are both here now," she assured him with a demure smile and a twinkle in her eye. She extended her hand out to the chair that had been pulled out for him. "Eat and then I will show you the room so that you can prepare for the springs. They are divine, and I'll bet you could use a wash after your travels."

The choice of food that she sat him down before was amazing and he briefly wondered how much Kakashi had given her for this mission. Whatever they were after must have been worth a great deal. She would tell him when they were alone and there was no worry of being over heard. In the mean time they had a role to play.

He felt the need to dive into the array of delicacies but held back. Even in moments of desperation his Hyuuga instinct refused to let him be anything less than polite. For her part she was playing to the role of a traditional Hyuuga clan wife very well. She prepared his tea and helped him with his meal as best she could before eating a portion of her own. Once finished, she sat quietly with her hands in her lap save when she took a sip of tea waiting for him to finish. Her skin was pale against the black hair and, while it made her eyes stand out, the lack of pink hair seemed unnatural on her. He hoped she had not dyed it. The pink suited her so much more than the black, but in one fell swoop she had taken away her most identifying feature and with the aid of some clever mimicking she was blending in expertly. Each move was precise and delicately executed as if she had been doing this her whole life. She was here in stealth and he wondered how many other stealth missions she had succeeded in without ever mentioning them to anyone.

Her natural way in the situation suggested this may not have been the first time she posed undercover as a wife, but then again it must have been something kunoichi's learned in the academy. Either way he found her convincing and if he did others certainly would. He knew he had a reputation for being over critical of his fellow team members. When he was full she signaled for the hostess who went to prepare the springs for them.

"Come anata, I have your yukata ready in the room," she said, placing her mug down on the table and standing to guide him off the veranda and into the main hall. She brought him to one of the rooms furthest down a long corridor, all the while keeping a hold on his hand.

Her smaller hand in his sent a jolt up his arm that burned in his chest. He would have enjoyed the sensation more if they were not being followed by the hotel manager who was clearly going out of her way to ensure they had her full attention. "Hyuuga-san, I have prepared to have dinner for you and your wife served at seven o'clock. Will this be acceptable?"

With a nod he acknowledged the older woman. "Hn." Sakura beamed at Neji showing him into the room and waited until the sound of shuffling feet moved well beyond their room.

"Oh thank Kami you're here," Sakura exclaimed smiling even bigger than he thought possible. That grin she had sported earlier had not been fake. She was genuinely happy to see him and for a moment he wondered what to make of that. She was, in his personal opinion, the most accomplished and beautiful kunoichi of their generation. It was a honor for him to be graced with such a warm welcome. She was a gem of Konoha, they all knew that, and he had admired her for some time. He had acknowledged it, buried it, and kept the attraction latent since the war.

That kiss however and the tingle that still burned from their conjoined hands had reminded him that perhaps the only reason it was latent was that he never really got to see her much. They were both so busy these days. A man would have to be blind not to see her for what she was, a stunning individual who shone brighter than all the rest in every way, and he was certainly not blind.

His thoughts were interrupted by her letting go of him and preforming a series of hand symbols. Suddenly she was more relaxed. Her shoulders dropped and her delicate walk returned to her usual confidant gait. "That's better." Her manner of speaking had returned to normal and he was pleased to hear it. He liked her as she was, and although it was for a mission he had missed her spunky manner and way of speech.

With swift movements she pulled a number of pins from her hair and no sooner had she done that the pink underneath the black wig was revealed. She shook her hair out gently. She looked relieved and he imagined that the wig was rather annoying. After taking a moment to organize herself she signaled for him to sit on the tatami mat and she followed his lead, folding her legs underneath her as the kimono was constricting. "I thought he would send Sai or Naruto even though I asked for you specifically. Kaka-sensei can be stubborn you know."

The statement both surprised him and pleased him. She had wanted him, had requested him by name for a mission of the utmost secrecy and importance. It was flattering to hear that from a woman as accomplished as she. Now he was more curious than ever to hear what was going on but he knew she would tell him soon enough.

"The room is sound proofed now so I can tell you what I've dragged you into," she explained watching as he folded his legs carefully, preparing for the mission briefing. "In short, I've run into a snag." That was even more surprising. Haruno Sakura stuck on a mission? That was practically unheard of.

He leaned in and stared at her, amused by the fact that she did not cower from the intensity in the gaze as most people did. He had not expected her to. She was rarely intimidated by anything, but he had seen grown nins shrink from him with out cause. He rarely came across someone who could endure a Hyuuga stare. Obviously she was one of them for her green eyes shone right back at his never flinching once. "Hence why I am here," he said congenially.

She nodded with a smile. "You see, after Orochimaru was disposed some of his forbidden scrolls were looted before we could get to them. Some were very valuable where as others are dangerous. Recently the daimyo here has been buying those he can find on the black market. We received intel that he has been keeping four such scrolls in his summer home." She pointed out the window to a tower roof that peaked out from beyond the tree line. Neji could see the problem there. If they knew, then what other nins knew? Many would see a local daimyo as an easy target.

He grunted in understanding and she continued. "Normally I would just break in and take them, but Kakashi said I can't be ID'ed or bring Konoha under fire. More to the point the Daimyo has a very sophisticated safe that I can crack, but it will lock behind me. I could knock through it but I think that would give the game away. It would draw far too much attention. I have fakes to replace the scrolls so by the time he notices we will be long gone. We need to get in and out without making a scene."

"Why all the secrecy?" That was now the only thing he did not understand. This local daimyo had no direct connection to Konoha and thus if the blame was placed on them it did not matter.

"Well, it's not been announced but Kiri has been wanting to settle a new treaty with Konoha for trade. Miyaba-sama supplies them with a great deal of their crops." And there it was. He understood now. "So they can't know it was us or the treaty goes."

The plan she had chosen was the most simple one given the options. She had altered her outset only slightly and included the minimum number of nins for assistance. The two of them could handle this without a problem. Just to show he understood he continued her explanation before she felt the need to. "Therefore you need me to get you back out of the safe once you grab the scrolls."

"Exactly, and possibly immobilize anyone should we be discovered," she said standing to move into the bathroom and prepare for the baths. He thought it over and there seemed to be one problem with this plan.

"Wouldn't I give up the game?" he called out quietly to her after a short time and found her already set for the baths. She moved to put her wig back on and let him into the bathroom to prepare himself. A bathing suit was resting on a small stool for him, which he put on rather curiously not sure why she had set it out for him. They were in a hot spring. They would be segregated and her modesty intact either way, but he decide to trust her. Perhaps there was an element here he had not fully understood.

"No, you are my ticket in," she said with an impish grin before she slipped through the back door. Curious he followed after her when he was ready. He found the back door lead straight into a private spring. He nearly chocked when the sight of bare shoulders greeted him. She hung her kimono up on a small stand and slipped into the pools. His eyes scanned over the bathing suit she had donned for the occasion. It was modest actually, but still he could barely keep his eyes off her. The strapless number was plain black but for some reason it suited her perfectly. The soft material clung to her figure but once under water hid the fact she was wearing anything at all upon a first glance.

Only because his eyes were trained on her did he notice the flash of something hungry, almost longing, in her eyes as she took in his bared physique. It lasted all of a second and as soon as it showed it was gone again, but it was too late. He had seen her eyes when she glanced over her shoulder at him and he held back a crow of satisfaction.

This knowledge changed everything. In an instant his outlook shifted. She had been genuinely happy to see him earlier, was still so now, and had requested him personally. On a mission as classified and confidential as this it spoke volumes about what she thought of him and his abilities, considering she was relying solely on him to get her out without causing a scene. And that look... she had not needed to say anything. He knew exactly what that meant.

Her eyes flitted over to him again before she sunk down into the water with a small smile on her face. A satisfied and supremely proud smirk threatened to spread across his features. It was written all over her and she was not bothering to hid it, or rather she was not hiding it well. His byakugan could pick up on the tiniest of hints and she was certainly emitting them. She was attracted to him, in more than just the physical sense. She respected him and that meant a great deal. That dormant attraction of his was no longer dormant. It was roaring at him to do something, anything, with this new found knowledge. And he planned to, but there was no need to rush into anything or scare her off by being overeager. They were at a hot springs for Kami's sake. There would be plenty of opportunities to get his point across.

He made his way over slowly, carefully considering his options and how best to proceed. His mind calculated and within seconds he had a basic outline for his objective, one that could be implemented immediately and developed over the course of their stay together.

"Hop in," she said peaking out at him from under long dark lashes. He slowly lowered himself into the pool, immediately aware of the fact that his long legs were brushing against hers in the intimate setting. She did not pull away. Instead she leaned back against the edge of the pool with her eyes half lidded in a sate of semi relaxation. As a nin on a mission she could not really relax completely, neither could he, but they would get as close as they could in the current circumstances. "We've got a whole night and day until the invitation so we had best brush up on our diplomacy," she said with a small smile that grew as she continued. "They are expecting us newly weds to make an appearance since we are in town for our honeymoon."

Honeymoon? This time he really did grin. How very opportune. That could not have worked out better for him. He was going to show her what it would be like for her to be his. When the charade was over he was determined that she would not want to share him with any others. In fact, he decided that the best time to start was right that second. When she felt the brush of his fingertips against her knees her eyes shot open and she watched carefully as he lifted her legs, which had been floating in the water, and placed them firmly on his own. He planted his feel on the far wall and watched as she took in their new position.

"We might as well get comfortable," he explained with a small smile. Speechless she nodded and ever so slowly her shock faded until she smiled back. Gradually her body relaxed once more until she was leaning fully on him. She let out a contented sigh and her eyes lowered one again.

Haruno Sakura had no idea what was about to hit her.

* * *

Neji let out a groan. The whole afternoon had been a veritable feast of relaxation. Why had he not been told such vacations were so encompassing? Had he known he would have insisted on going on one sooner, hijacking his companion to go with him.

Sakura had thought of everything. There had been tea in the afternoon along with a comfortable stroll in the garden. She was playing the part of a civilian so well, where as he stood out like sore thumb. Had he not known who she was he might have mistaken her for a devoted house wife. The only problem was that after a time in the springs they had been bombarded by the spa staff. They were rarely alone for more than a coupe of minutes, hardly enough time to speak of the mission in privet.

Oddly, he was in no rush to discuss the particulars. He was quite happy having Sakura stand close to him with her hand resting on his arm. It was selfish but he was using the mission to forward his own goals. He was killing two birds with one stone, or rather he was purposefully killing one whilst automatically bringing the other home for dinner as well. The popular spa was a perfect place to make themselves known and he now realized there had been a second reason she had chosen this place. Everyone who was anyone came to the Sarada Springs when in Shiobara. They were solidifying their presence as a newly wed couple so as not to raise too many suspicions, thus the walk and tea she planned were getting the job done without too much effort on their parts. More than that they wanted people to know he was here and by now the whole spa knew a Hyuuga was in their midst. The more open he was about his presence the less suspicious they would be of him in the end.

Ultimately he was beginning to think this mini vacation of theirs was only relaxing because of her. The activities were similar to what he would have done at home. Meditating was not all that different to sitting in a hot spring and tea was a regular occurrence in the Hyuuga compound, but he found this a far more enjoyable way to spend his time. Her laugh was infectious and he adored the way her lips twitched slightly before she smiled. Every smile was real; each one spread to her eyes and he was hard pressed not to stare when he saw it.

Who was he kidding? He was staring. He knew it and he was pretty sure she did too, although that appeared to be working in his favor. Each time she caught him she reacted, whether it manifested in a small blush or shyly looking away. The whole affair was all going as he had hoped. Now if he could only get rid of all the damned people he could cement all the hints together. The onlookers were convenient for the mission at hand but not for his personal mission.

He could smile at her and walk close to her all he wanted in public, but she could easily view that at being part of the mission. When they were alone and he had no professional reason to be showing her affection of any kind was when she would really begin to understand.

Thankfully their evening meal was not going to be served for at least another two hours and Sakura had decided to take advantage of the setting. After all it was hardly believable that two newlyweds would spend the whole day in the company of others willingly.

They were back in their room, in the comfort of the seclusion. She had immediately jumped in the spring enjoying the feel of the hot water against her skin while he sat near by sipping at a serving of sake. She had only just gotten in and while the rest of her was comfortable her neck was clearly not. Wigs were rarely comfortable, or so was his understanding, and he could hardly imagine she found the use of one to be anything less than a hassle. On top of that the cumbersome head peace looked quite heavy. The muscles in her neck were strained under the weight and he felt the need to relieve her of that nuisance.

Slowly, taking care not to alarm her, he stood and lowered himself down behind her making sure she could hear his movement the whole time. His fingertips brushed her ears and his voice dropped down a register. "We are alone here, yes?" he asked and waited for the quiet hum that followed, which confirmed his assumption. "And they will knock before entering?" His second question brought her to tilt her head up to get a glimpse of his face. Another small hum brought his fingers to feel at the edge of the wig. "Then you can do without this for a time."

One by one he pulled the pins out until the black mass fell into his hands. Pink hair tumbled around his wrists and he marveled at the soft texture. He had been right. The black wig was extraordinarily heavy. He set it aside with a small frown and turned back to the woman before him. A few pins had come loose and were caught in her hair still. He slid his fingers into the strands and gently removed the metal rungs rubbing the tips of his fingers against her scalp. He ran his fingers through her hair to tease out the remaining fastenings. One particularly stubborn one was clipped in at the base of her neck. With one hand he moved her hair away and with the other he began to ease the pin out. His thumb was rested on a particularly strained muscle.

A quickly pulse of energy through his fingertip brought out a low moan from the reclining medic. The sensual sound was tantalizing and it made him wonder what other sounds she might make under the right circumstances. He calmed himself. That one sound had sent a heat into his system that was hard to ignore. He would find out what else could bring about that noise soon enough. In the mean time he sent a few more pluses to the muscle and his eyes softened as she fully relaxed under his care.

"If you keep that up I might fall asleep," she mumbled readjusting herself. He took that instant to retrieve his sake and in a flash was back with his legs folded just in time to have her rest her head on them. He set his drink down, pleased to find that when her head tilted all the way back her eyes were closed.

He took a sip of his drink. "By all means. I will keep watch," he said enjoying his current lot in life. The strongest, most beautiful woman he knew was letting her guard down enough to sleep on his lap. A content smile settled on his features as he gradually sipped at his warm sake in the humid spring. He was not sure how long they sat there but he made sure to occasionally check her vitals to ensure she had not passed out or become overheated.

They had sat for quite some time and he knew they would soon be called for dinner. The position of the setting sun in the sky was telling. He looked down and the tranquility that had registered on his face warmed considerably. She actually had fallen asleep completely, and not into the kind of sleep most nins practiced, which was some half lidded mostly conscious form of napping. Her head had turned to the side slightly and he could not help but move a few strands that had fallen in her face. A long elegant alabaster neck line was now free to view, but his hands must have brushed her skin. She stirred and upon remembering where she was and who she was with her eyes fluttered to get a peak at him. And she saw him; she saw the smile he had not removed. Her eyes widened letting him glimpse the full range of green hues that shone back at him. Her lips parted slightly taking in what she was witnessing.

A flutter of silk in the hallway made him reluctantly turn his attention to the door. He was quite annoyed with the overattentive hostess. A small rap on the frame made them both pull away, her to place the wig on and him to answer the call. He straightened his yukata and slid the door along enough so that she could see him, but not Sakura, who was still righting herself in the background. As he suspected, it was the hostess and he stopped himself from sending an annoyed glare in her direction. " Hyuuga-san, I am sorry to intrude but your dinner will be served shortly."

"Thank you." He turned to find that Sakura had woken fully and was moving about behind him. With a quick bow the older woman scurried away and Neji found Sakura was already in the bathroom preparing to head out a midst people again. He supposed he should do the same. Thankfully he had brought a few items of civilian wear that had been gathering dust in his closet.

When he was satisfied that he looked acceptable he waited for her to emerge. When she did, he did not hold back the appreciative glance he sent before holding out his arm for her to take. The only thing that could have been better was if they had both been there as themselves and she could have kept the wig and makeup off. That was a thought... perhaps he would do just that. He had earned some well deserved rest and relaxation and he knew she had too. All he had to do was find some manner of explaining why his 'wife' suddenly had pink hair. Better yet they could find another hot spring for the occasion and forget the excuses altogether.

He would think over that some other time. Right now Sakura was waiting on him and he had to make sure she would want to go to a hot spring with him outside work. She sent a smile up at him and made a little show of straightening her shoulders. "You ready?" she asked, knowing the answer.

He was ready, he thought to himself, leading her out into the hallway and onto the veranda for their evening meal. It was then he spotted a small group of people excitedly waving at Sakura who gracefully waved back in response. He wanted to let out sigh. More people... damn. The intimate dinner he had in mind was suddenly shattered. Ultimately this was only a small hiccup, he decided, yet had to try his best not the frown under the circumstances. They would have the rest of the night together, and that presented a whole slew of possibilities. Oh yes, he smirked as they passed into the shadow of the night, so many possibilities.

* * *

End comments: I really liked this idea, which started as two separate fics. Anyway I enjoyed writing this and I know where its going so lets hope I can get it there in a timely fashion. The next chapter involves espionage, action and a great deal more Neji/Saku. I imagine it will be about 4 or 5 chapters at the end. Let me know if you enjoyed it as much as I did.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: I know, I know its been ages... and there is no excuse other than that life has gotten the better of me. The good news is I have 3 posts (including this one, but not all for this fic, to put up in the next few days). So no excuses, I'm getting those fics up either today or over the weekend and I will be finishing this fic before I barrel through to the other fics chapters. So on we move...

* * *

The woes of infernal chatter had Neji wanting to bash his handsome skull against the closest wall. This sort of torture was not called for, not even for a mission. He was not the only one feeling the strain. The tick that kept showing in the hollow between Sakura's jaw and neck was a sign that she felt exactly the same way. The topics of the evening thus far had been abysmal. Fashion was not his forte, nor was the advantage of live bait vs dead bait when deep sea fishing. The advantages of different sorts of grout used for floors was also not some thing he had ever thought would be relevant to his dinner conversations. He hoped it never would be again.

Worse than the conversation was the actual guests. One in particular was rubbing him the wrong way. The man to his immediate left was one of those sorts that had something derisive to say at every turn and while Neji admitted that Yoshino-san's in depth interest in teal silk verses chartreuse was not interesting, there was no need for eye rolling or snide snorts. Thankfully it seemed that the merchant had a thick skin and as of yet had not noticed the baleful sentiments aimed his way.

The other saving grace was of course Sakura, who occasionally sent him a knowing look. She blended in with the other wives seamlessly and he was reminded of days past. She did not come from a family of shinobi. Her upbringing had been different from most of their peers. He had done little outside of fighting in his youth and that had not changed much over the years. She, on the other hand, seemed to have a little bit of knowledge about almost everything brought up. How she knew about deep sea fishing he was not sure but it was coming in handy. Despite how dull the conversation was for him the rest, aside from snide commentator to his left, continued on quite happily.

The best part was that thus far he had not been asked to participate. After the introduction he had been allowed to sit and eat in relative peace.

The gentle flow of the conversation was interrupted by a heavy sigh and Neji got the distinct impression that his silent revelry was going to be broken. "To hell with this. I know your all dying to ask him so I will." The party turned their heads in his direction and Neji was suddenly the focus of the table; well, he and the oaf sitting next to him. "If you're a Hyuuga then you're a shinobi as well." Neji nodded in response confirming the suspicion to which the man grinned inanely. "Are you a combat nin or one of those desk jockeys?"

Neji's brow raised as he turned a piercing stare to the man who waited on baited breath for his answer. "Desk jockey?" he asked asked flatly.

The man, who had yet to give his name, took a gulp of sake and slammed his drink back onto the table. "Yeah. You know, a paper pusher. Teachers, administrators, organizers... the type that sits behind the desk but never does any of the dirty work."

"The hokage sits behind a desk." The flat of Neji's voice threw the man off, for it was neither an answer nor had it gotten a rise out of the docile Hyuuga.

Sakura held back a chuckle. The quirk of her lips gave her away though and he was pleased with himself, if for no other reason than she seemed to find his comment funny. "My husband cannot discuss missions, Satoshi-san. They are classified. I will tell you that he is no 'desk jockey or paper pusher' as you have described." Sakura spoke with purpose and, unless Neji was mistaken, pride. Her correction was stern and still she managed to seem polite. They both knew better than to think he was being polite for he was not and had she not been playing a role Neji got the distinct impression that she would not have said anything at all. Knowing the fire cracker stilling across from him she probably would have knocked the guy out instead.

Satoshi had not realized that he was pushing her patience and pushed forward in his interrogation. "Based on age I would guess that you are a jonin at least but not all missions are classified..." Realization dawned on the boorish man and he quickly retreated back to his drink. He had a general idea of Neji's capabilities now, and had answered whatever question he had on his own.

His petite wife, that Neji was pretty sure went by Ruka-san, tucked an unruly piece of wiry red hair behind her ear. "We were surprised to find Hana-san here alone, especially when she said you had just been married." The small woman gently smiled in apology for her counterpart. She meant no harm and thus Neji decided to answer her question as best he could.

"My kage needed me elsewhere for a short time." Silently he thanked Sakura for having already announced he could not speak of his work. The less lies one could tell whilst undercover the better, for keeping track of what had been said to whom could get tricky.

"But he rushed over to spend as much time as he could with me before my leave is up," Sakura coo-ed to the other women who were suitably charmed by the deadly mans devotion to his wife and country.

The timid Megumi-san peaked out from under her lashes at the confident Sakura and let a string of mousey words slip out. "Do you work Hana-san?"

There was a quick pause while Sakura gathered her thoughts. "I am a nurse," Sakura said after taking a sip of her tea.

"Still?" the merchant asked, seeming quite surprised. Neji could hardly blame him. Most noble families had members whose vocation was purely to represent the clan in some fashion or other. Even in his clan there were those who held permanent positions within the hierarchy that made it difficult to retains other jobs. Never the less any that could served Konoha with due diligence.

"No Hyuuga can be without vocation," Neji explained gently, doing his best not to be seen as haughty though he was fairly sure that ship had sailed, as always.

Satoshi nodded as he took a sip of his sake, belching after the warm liquid trickled down. "I see." He was gathering information and Neji was not sure if it was out of a general interest in shinobi or if the man had more sinister intentions.

"It's all very mysterious isn't it? I don't know if I could handle the secret keeping." Ruka-san speculated congenially, only to be met with her husbands disapproving visage.

The fisherman waved his hands as he laughed. "I know I couldn't. Too much pressure. I like to relax on a boat and wait for the fish to come to me."

"How often do you need to go out to make a profit?"

Neji did not listen further. He was currently occupied with taking Satoshi-san's appearance in. The man was still staring at him making it a point to try and intimidate the Hyuuga. Neji rolled his eyes knowing that the rest of the party would be unable to see it. The man was middle aged, sluggish and severely out of shape, or so Neji suspected. It would take a quick once over with his byakugan to be sure. The sound of his name drew Satoshi's eyes away for a second, just long enough for Neji to get a peak. It was as he suspected. The muscle was flabby and his breathing was slightly labored from year of smoking. most importantly his chakra level was low, too low to be of use to a nin. With a glance turnaround the table he determined that all the others were the same; civilians. When Satoshi turned his attention back to Neji the inspection was done. The man sniffed loudly pouring himself another drink.

With that and a nod from Sakura they decided it was time to head back. Much more talk of chum or dividends and they might both find their dinner companions incapacitated. Neji pushed back away from the table and extended his hand to Sakura. "If you will excuse us, we should get an early night."

"So soon?" Rin-san queried, clearly wanting the couple to stay. Her oafish husband didn't seem the time to provide conversation. He felt bad for her really. She seemed quite personable and though see appeared to be accustomed to the scathing remarks made by her husband that was not an easy thing to endure.

He sent her a small incline of his head and gave them a half baked apology. "We have a long day tomorrow."

Satoshi snorted and chugged back his sake with little grace. "Newlyweds," he scoffed with a leer that was begging to be whipped off his face. Neji was not one to rise to such invitations but he was tempted.

Both he and Sakura stood to leave. he strode over to pull her chair back and began to escort her out of the dining hall. Just when he thought the coast was going to be clear he saw the familiar outline of the "Hyuuga-san, shall we set a time for your breakfast?" the manager asked as the pair quickly made a beeline for the hallway.

"Breakfast at 9 would be lovely." Her smile quickly turned to a huff. As soon as the little woman was out of hearing range Sakura leaned over to confide in him. "Ugh, what an ass! He's lucky I didn't knock him out."

"Indeed." He had been right. Brimming under the calm and congenial surface was a tiger ready to pounce on her prey. Poor Satoshi-san would have never seen it coming. They passed another couple heading to a late dinner and both greeted them silently in their own ways. The door to the room was in sight and Neji was relieved to be away from the prying eyes.

Sakura snapped her fingers when they reached the door. "Oh, I forgot. Did Kaka-sensei ask you to bring formal wear?"

He wanted to chuckle at the fact that the fearsome hokage was still being called 'Kaka-sensei' by his petite student. It made the world renowned copy-nin sound more like a stuffed bear with a monocle than the leader he was. Instead he took a long thoughtful glance at his pack. He had thrown somethings in but to the best of his knowledge none of it was formal. Kakashi had said civilian wear, not party attire. Sakura took the opportunity to pull open the closet where he had hung up his clothing. One lonely green yukata hung in the corner and undergarments were folded neatly on a shelf near by.

With a shake of her head she held back a small giggle. "I'll take that as a 'no' then." She closed the door behind them and swiftly walked into the bathroom to change leaving him to sort out the futon. He opened the closet and stared. There was only one futon. He had expected as much. He did not hide the smirk that spread across his lips. He had wondered whether she would try and procure a second one but it seemed that she was either not bothered by the thought or did not want to raise anyone's concern. He was leaning towards the former suggestion. He had only just placed the bedding on the ground when her voice filtered through the space. "Don't worry though," she called out jovially as she began to walk back through, "we can find you something suitable tomorrow."

She had traded her yukata for a pair of western pajamas in cream silk. She still had the wig firmly placed on her head but some of the pins were piled up in her hand.

"I'll take the watch," Neji announced fully prepared for the long night ahead and the challenge Sakura was sure to bring forward in regards to his decision.

Sakura frowned and crossed her arms over he chest. "I slept earlier."

Neji wanted to shake his head and smile but he had a feeling that she would not find that terribly amusing. Even so he was not going to let her stay awake all night while he slept. "I meditated," he insisted less firmly than he normally would have. Sakura did not need to be instructed. he was her equal and to assume otherwise would not have given the right impression.

Knowing there was little she could do to change his mind she sighed and gave in. She was not going to win this one. they were both stubborn, she knew that, and so a compromise was needed. One of them had to or else neither would get any sleep and there was hope. She had heard the lighter quality in his voice suggesting that he was not ruling out an alternative idea. The commander was not commanding her, he was trying to be a gentleman and fumbling slightly in the process. "Split it half and half," she suggested, operating with the full knowledge that he would settle for nothing less once he had set his mind to it.

Reluctantly he agreed but before his accommodating nature could turn into a declaration she beat him to it. "I'll go first." She grinned in triumph when he did not respond but noticed that after a beat he narrowed in on the sound of bustling as it approached the door. When no threat was identified he relaxed, the veins around his eyes receded. She knew who it was.

"You want anything?" He shook his head lightly as she straightened her wig. "I'm getting some warm lemon water. Might as well make use of her incessant hovering," she said with a wink before heading out into the hall.

When she re-entered he resigned himself to a bit of sleep and was surprised to find that the gentle humming of a song coming from Sakura was quickly making him drowsy. Funny, that had never happened before. He was not going to question it. Normally on such a mission his eyes would have been wide open but not his time. Instead he allowed himself to drift away knowing that Sakura would wake him if anything happened.

* * *

He woke to the gentle shake of his shoulder. He tried turned his head but was stopped by the weight on his chest and something plastic hitting his chin. Big green eyes stared up at him twinkling in the dark. He hardly had time to enjoy the sensation of her pressed along his form as she thumped her finger lightly against his chest three times.

Silently he activated his byakugan. There were three intruders, one in the spring, one hanging off the roof and another climbing into the bathroom. All were shinobi, most likely local guards hired by the daimiyo. Word of the Hyuuga arrival had spread as fast as Sakura had predicted it would.

He coiled himself and prepared to strike. The overeager nin hanging off the roof burst in landing on the ground deftly. At the sound Neji jumped up ready to fight. Sakura sent him an apologetic smile before scurrying behind him with a scream.

"Ahhhhhhh!" The ear splitting sound brought the other two intruders rushing in as backup. Thankfully the room was not really large enough to accommodate all of them at the same time. The intruder trying to wiggle through the bathroom window would have to wait his turn if Sakura gave him the opportunity to do so. As it stood she was already moving to flank their guests while she pretended to be frightened and helpless.

If he had time to laugh he might have. The whole farce was incredibly entertaining. Instead he shielded her as if she truly was a civilian and smirked when the crafty medic pulled back along the wall towards the lamp that sat conveniently on a table near by. The first shinobi, a man of formidable size, barreled into the patient and deadly hands of the ANBU captain. In a couple of blows the monstrosity collapsed in a puddle on the ground. The second enemy gave him no time to check on Sakura but he knew he did not have to. Disguising her movements, Sakura kicked the groaning nin on the ground knocking him out and crawled along the wall to bathroom where the third intruder was rushing forward to help his comrades.

The noise from the hall told him that their neighbors had heard the commotion. By now the whole hotel would be awake and wondering what had happened. It would be best to wrap this up quickly. His palms connected with flesh again making a fatal connection as his 64 palms technique paralyzed the woman that attempted to slash at his face. Her body seized up against the wall and only when he was sure she would not be getting up again did he back away. The veins on his forehead throbbed and then shrunk in time for the echoing smash of a lamp to reach his ears.

All in all it was a very quick exchange and Neji had to wonder if this was the best the local guard could do. That had hardly been a fight. Neither of them were winded and it made him wonder if the man behind the attack knew who he had sent his men after. probably not, but if they did not know before they knew now. At the very least they had kept Sakura's identity a secret. He took a peak at the manor's towering roof now visible through the doors. The shinobi they had encountered with not cut from the finest cloth but that did not mean all were so untested. The next group, should they bother to send any others, would be more skilled.

When all three nins were incapacitated and the noise from the room had stopped the manager pulled the door back to get a good look at the damage. Neji turned to find Sakura breathing heavy as she ran into his arms. "Anata, are you alright?" she asked, hugging him.

Neji pulled her in close, and stroked her face gently. "I am fine," he assuaged her exaggerated concern, wrapping an arm around her back to keep her exactly where she was. The pink shower cap which he only just noticed was a nice touch. The man she whacked on the back of the head was bleeding and had, at the very least, a severe concussion. He looked down at where they fell and was slightly annoyed at finding two of the intruders sprawled over varying parts of their bedding. Muddy foot prints were everywhere and the broken shards of the porcelain lamp were scattered across the floor. Someone was going to have to clean the room before they would be able to get any kind of peace. He knew they had both slept in much worse conditions but the manager was going to insist and it would only be fair for Sakura's rest to be as comfortable as his had been.

"Hyuuga-san, what happened?" the hostess asked looking around. The three nins all wore the same symbol, one that every one in the area would know. The older woman narrowed her eyes and stormed away cursing under her breath. "He will pay for these damages. The nerve! Assaulting one of my guests..."

Neji looked down to Sakura who appeared positively frightened. She was tiny, so much smaller than he had expected. When her fists were flying on the battlefield or she was giving instructions to her staff she seemed to have so much stature. The picture she gave now, while forced, was completely vulnerable. Her petite frame fit well against his broad one and he was hard pressed to let go. While he could get away with it he had no intention of doing so.

"Has someone called the police?" One of guests who had come to view the commotion asked. A masked man dressed in black wearing the same mysterious symbol was the answer to her question. With a silent bow he gathered up his fallen comrades. The female was cradled in his arms and the two men he stacked onto his shoulders. With a quick glance at Neji, he jumped through the broken door and headed for the manor at the other end of the forested divide.

Frowning for the onlookers, Neji assessed the room. He was concerned about one thing but it was a concern he could manage. The door was broken and the bedding was wreck. Muddy foot prints littered their sheets and droplets of blood were scattered across the floor. He was not terribly keen on the idea of moving particularly in the middle of the night. All of their things were well hidden but even so it would not do to have the staff poking around. Sakura had chosen this room for a reason. There was a direct route through the woods from the manor to the pools outside. Should they need to make a quick getaway it would be best to remain there. He was not going to let her planning go to waste because a couple of nins had invaded their temporary base.

He turned to one of the staff that looked idle and said, "We will need the room cleaned immediately." The young girl blinked a few times before gingerly collecting the futon. A few moments later staff members were everywhere patching and fixing anything they could get their hands on.

He hardly paid them any mind. Sakura was still in his grasp and he gently rubbed small circles around her shoulder blade. she was leaning against him when all the onlookers had dispersed and moved to pull away. She tilted he head up when he did not loosen his grip. His arm remained wrapped around her form and gently kept her in place. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I'll take care of all this. You rest," he said reassuringly. A small hum was all he got in response and for a moment he wondered if she was going to object. Instead her head rested on his collar chest while the rest of her relaxed. Her hand clutched his yukata and he smiled down at her.

The staff were still working when he sat them down on the new futon. Her legs curled up to make her position more comfortable and that was the last time she moved. She breathed in and out so minutely it seemed she was not breathing but soon her eyes closed. She was just a very still sleeper he came to realize. A pink strand of hair peaked out from under her shower cap and he tucked it away from sight.

One by one the staff left having completed their work. The last was a man who stayed for an hour, working as quickly as he could to repair the sliding door to the springs. When the new pristine shield was in place he silently scurried away to his bed and Neji laid back tucking both he and his partner into the bedding. With a small jostle Sakura stretched out her feet and let out a sigh of contentment, a sentiment Neji was quick to agree with. He lay there keeping a watchful eye out so that the woman peacefully asleep next to him could remain so until morning. Now in the darkness of his room he basked in the warmth with the knowledge that his intentions were dawning on his companion.

* * *

When the sun peaked over the horizon his meditation natural came to an end. He took a look around without his byakugan. His vision was good, very good, and seeing as much as he did was a blessing in many ways. In spite of that fact there were some sights he preferred to see with his normal vision. This was one of them. Black and white was so technical, so clinical in a way, and it hardly did her naturally vibrant coloration justice, though she was just as beautiful in either filter.

She was a sight to behold in the morning light. At some point in the night her head covering had become dislodged and now a shower of pink strands covered the pillow and his collarbone. Long lashes brushed the tops of her cheeks and the hand that had been fisted in his yukata remained that way albeit holding on slightly looser than before. He had noticed her beginning to move more and he knew she would wake up soon but for now he let her sleep. A lithe pajama clad leg kicked away the coverings as the temperature rose swiftly with the rise of the sun.

Subconsciously she regretted that decision. Neji could not help but chuckle as Sakura, now deprived of her side of the blanket wormed her way closer, craving the heat she had just forgone. He wanted to stay and let her sleep. Every time the sun flitted through the hastily patched screen door she shied away and in the process made an adorable face. That was the only word he could find to describe it. Every other word seemed to fall short and he was glad to have finally found a use for the phrase.

Alas he could not let her sleep forever. A member of staff would soon be stopping by to issue their wake up call. She would no doubt want to get ready for the day or at the very least but the damnable wig back on. As he recalled she had mentioned something about finding him a suitable outfit for the evening adventure.

Shopping... He could not admit to being a fan of that particular habit. He had been out with his cousins on the rare occasion for what could only be described as 'take no prisoners' type marathon events. The crowds and the complexities of fabrics and colors and styles baffled him and he honestly had no idea where to start. Worse than that he had nothing to say when his cousins regularly asked, "what do you think of this". He knew they were looking for an alternative perspective but he was hardly knowledgeable where fashion was concerned and he often felt like a hindrance. Due to that small but niggling fact he veered as far as he cloud from the excursions. This time he had a feeling it would be different. At least he hoped it would be. Perhaps in retrospect he should have paid more attention to the merchants babbling the night before. Well, there was little he could do about it now.

Shuffling in the halls alerted him to the fact that the staff were out and about now seeing to the guests. It could be put off no longer.

"Sakura," he called quietly so as not to jolt her out of her dreams. "Breakfast."

With a groan and a groggy set of blinks she began to move. Like a cat after a long sun-kissed nap she stretched out from the tips of her toes to hr fingertips. She quickly remembered where she was when green met opal. She did not bolt into the bathroom nor did she squeak in surprise. Instead she smiled at him a bit bashfully and slowly rolled over so her feet hit the floor.

He had been told many years before that team 7 were notoriously cranky early in the morning. All four of them were night owls. That was certainly true for the men of Team 7. He had witnessed their foul morning tempers himself on missions in the past. Waking any one of them before they were ready could bring about injury but he had never attempted to wake Sakura before due to having never had the chance. The women always paired up for the watch. Tenten had never mentioned Sakura having trouble waking up but perhaps it was her short fuse in other situations that had lead to such rumors. Naruto always seemed to know how to set the medic nin off. In retrospect the whole thing might have been conjecture base purely on her reaction to her ill mannered team mates. Now that he thought the scenario over it made little sense. He had seen her very early in the mornings before, awake and chipper, but perhaps that was due to having stayed up all night. Her slight sun aversion in the mornings was hardly anything to complain about and truth be told he was fairly sure he was worse in the mornings than she was. In either case he had not come to any bodily harm and went about getting ready for the day.

When she had finished he bustled past him to the closet where a change of clothes awaited her. He took his time washing his face and brushing his teeth. He retied his hair back and stepped through the door when it sounded as thought she had finished. Wig back in place they were ready for break fast.

"I'm starved. Let's eat and then we can find you something to wear for the dinner," she said with purpose. She grabbed him by the arms and playfully tugged him out the door with urgency. He had learned a few things after being with her the day before. She had a weakness for good food, which was convenient because he did too. With a smirk he pulled her to his side and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"So impatient," he teased lightly.

Sakura huffed and poked his arm in return. Movement in the room next to theirs had them both moving again towards the dining hall. Just before they entered society once more he saw her look up at him with a small smile and lean in ever so slightly.

* * *

"What do you think of this?"

He had not wanted to hear those words. surprisingly the phrase had not been used when he had expected it to be nor as often as he was accustomed. They had walked and wandered from shop to shop talking about all sorts of things. Not once had she mentioned clothes or colors. He watched as she thumbed through fabrics and racks of items. She said not a single thing. Her expression told him exactly what she thought of each item. If she liked the cloth but not enough to buy it she would tilt her head to the side. If there was something she truly disliked her nose would crinkle.

Thus far every single item had received such a reaction and was decidedly sub-standard. This time was different. Unlike some of the brightly colored garments they had forgone, this yukata was tastefully elegant but not dowdy. The raw dark grey silk was beautifully accented by the vibrant blue feathers that loosely formed a pattern.

"Hn." She turned at the approving sound and held it out for him to see better. On closer inspection the feathers were a vibrant cobalt that leaned into indigo. The silk under his fingers was soft to the touch.

With a smile she held a sleeve up to his chin. "It suits you."

He need no other approval. Long strides brought him to the counter quickly and produced his wallet. "This one," he said to the store manager who rushed over to take the garment and wrap it up.

"You'll need a new obi..." Sakura said moving to the next portion of the store and carefully measuring each bit of cloth against the material she had already chosen. It only took a moment. When she emerged with a cut of vibrant blue cloth he nodded in acceptance.

Pleased with herself, Sakura collected their things. "How do you feel about a little walk? My legs could use a stretch." She was not really asking and had he not joined her he imagined she probably would have gone without him.

He did not answer her semi-rhetorical question. He took the bag in one hand and enveloped her her now empty hand in his. If she had any objections she kept them to herself and instead they fell into step with one another. The town kept moving around them and he watched as Sakura took in the sights. They reached the temple gates in no time and soon he found himself walking among the quiet of the trees instead of the buzz from the town. The rattling carriages of the vendors were too boisterous to remind him of Konoha but in the sanctuary of the the forest he could hear the familiar sounds of life in his home town.

When she was sure no one was around to see she broke character for a moment to stretch her arms out in the afternoon sun. she tilted her face up to take in the rays. "Do you ever miss just being in Konoha? You know, like when we were kids, training all the time?" She turned her head to look at him as they walked through the trees and heard his grunt of agreement. "Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't go back, but it might be nice to sit under the trees for an afternoon without having to worry about being called back to the hospital."

He understood that problem all too well. They were both busy and constantly wanted for something by someone. admittedly he had not wanted the time off they had given him but it was well overdue. He would have been surprised if Sakura said her schedule was anything less than manic. With two jobs to fill it was a wonder that anyone ever saw her socially. Not even Shikamaru had time for cloud gazing these days. "Or off on a mission," he added woefully. He was suddenly painfully reminded of how much they both worked and that the only reason he was seeing her now was because of work. Would it be a bit much to ask the Hokage for another few weeks off? Probably, and Kakashi would have his head on a silver platter if it ever got out that the reason behind such a request was to get closer to the woman standing next to him. Still, it would be worth the risk if all went as planned.

Sakura hummed with a nod of understanding. "We've all been non stop. I'm surprised they actually sent you when I asked for you."

He stopped, turning towards her. Sakura kept walking only to be pulled around by the link between them. "Why did you ask for me?" His question made her step forward. Big green eyes blinked as the midday sun hit them full on.

She thought about it for a moment and then tilted her face to the side slightly. "A number of reasons...you were the best choice. And I trust you." She admitted it freely and with her full confidence. That confidence sent a burst of pride pumping through his veins. Sakura was not one to trust easily, not after all that had happened in their youth. Such a treasure from her was not won over night. This had been brewing for sometime.

"Do you?" He stepped into her space blocking out the rays of sun inhibiting her vision. He was a hairs breath away from her, close enough for her to rest her chin on his chest if she so chose.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Obviously," she said, putting a hand on her hip. He liked this side of her. She could be sassy when she wanted to be and occasionally through that sass came a bit of dry humor. The twinkle that accompanied her sassy stance was more than a little appealing and Neji noted the way her whole body leaned into one hip.

He still had her hand and without stepping back he raised it until he could see the ridges of her deadly knuckles. "Good." His lips brushed against the back of her hand lightly. Opal eyes seared into green orbs. Realization echoed back to him as her lips parted and her pupils dilated.

A flush spread across Sakura's cheeks but she did not back down. After a moment of meaning filled silence she matched him smiling confidently. "You treat all the girls this way?" she teased gently as they started walking again.

"Hn." His quirked brow told her the truth; Neji, always so severe, had never paid this mush attention to any woman.

"Nice to know," she said chuckling. The sun beating down on them had her turning their feet back to the spa. "We should head back. I want a good soak before we have to brave the gentry tonight."

"Agreed." There were two benefits he could see to going back to the spa and interrupting their lovely walk in town. One was completely professional. They needed their rest for the evening ahead and they had to prepare themselves for the task at hand. The second and more enticing reason was hardly so noble. The thought of having Sakura to himself for the rest of the day was more than enough incentive to march back to the spa and sit around the spring. He let out a sly smirk when her attention was elsewhere. The pink hired enchantress was going to be the death of his professionalism, and he did not mind that one bit.

* * *

End Comments: Perhaps this was not the most exciting chapter but there was action and romance and all that good stuff. In my head I see two more chapters... We will see. I might just fit everything into one massive finale. AND a giant thank you to my friend Shelley-ann for editing this. See you soon!


	3. Chapter 3

Authors Note: It's been a while but i promised one of my lovely reviewers i would have this up today and so here it is. not quite complete but the next and final chapter will be a short one. I hope you enjoyed this, i did. and keep your diners crossed for me. My house move is taking forever and hopefully ill have internet in time to post the last chapter soon. forgive any spelling mistakes or grammar issues. I always miss a few but I'll keep my eye out for more and do my best to catch them.

* * *

He was not sure what to make of the situation he had found himself in. There had been a casual atmosphere on the way back to the room and as usual they played their parts. Upon enterign hte room nothing had changed. He had expected something, some kind of sign that she was not just playing a part or placiating him. At that last thought he had almost slapped himslef. Sakura was not the kind to simply go along with something just to keep the peace. She was fiesty. If she had a problem she would have said soemthing. Perhaps she still would; and so he waited at the door for a moment to give her the oppertunity. Instead she casually slid into the spa and closed her eyes. Ever a patient man he retrieved his tea and neither had said much since.

Occasionally he took a peak at her from his spot next to her but she just smiled contently under the heat of the spa. He had finally started to relax a bit when a shift in the water alerted him to her movements. The press of soft lips on top of his cheek bone froze him in place.

"I had better start prepping. Damned events take forever to get ready for."

For a moment he was frozen in place, unable to think let alone move. It took a moement to process the subtle announcement she had jsut made. So usually in control he was having a hard time keeping his thoughts on track. A moement went by as he pulled himself back together. It was in those seconds her dressing assistant arrived and Sakura scrambled to get her wig back on before closing the sliding door.

In that way he had been left to stew in the spa cursing his inaction and tension. Had he not been so taken off guard he may have been able to react faster. His figertips buzzes with the desire to reach out and pull her back to his embrace but what he had in mind for her would have to wait.

He took a deep breath and sunk further into the spirng. All was not lost. Far from it in fact. Things were going just as he had hoped. She was responding and favorably. He had seen other men attempt to flirt with her for many years, only to be tastefully laughed off or suitably knocked out depending on the individual.

When he heard the jingle of hair pieces being chosen he knew it was time to wash and get dressed. His knuckles wrapped on the door frame as he wrapped a towel around his waist to hide his shorts. The assistant bashfully opened the door to allow him into the bathroom. A large screen shielded Sakura's form from him but he supposed a surprise would be appropriate in such a situation.

He found his evening wear waiting for him folded neatly where it would not get wet. After a quick rinse he towel dried his hair and set about getting dressed. He tied his obi and looked to the mirror for the results. He was usually so stark, and generally he liked it that way. Black and white were just easier to match than other colors. tonight the word that came to mind was sophisticated. The yukata had a masculine elegance to it that complimented him and while softer than his usual tones by no means flashy. The texture on his skin was comfortable unlike so many other outfits he had been forced into for events. With the speed of an expert a new crisp bandage replaced the one that fell to the ground.

Neji opened the door to the bathroom ans was greeted by a pleasant sight. Her kimono was more decorative than his to be sure but they complimented each other and he wondered if she had taken that into account when she had been shopping that afternoon.

The base color was a lovely navy that had beautiful stitch work and cranes flying across her back in swooping patterns. The complimented her pretend colouring but it would have complimented her natural one as well. It was nice to see her in colours other than black and red and green.

"I feel so uncomfortable in all this," she said patting her outfit down and cautiously looking to him to see if he liked her outfit.

Of course he did. There was only one way to say it and for once he had exactly the right words. "You are beautiful."

"Such a sweet talker."

He grunted in the back of his throat and pulled her in close. "Hardly."

The pair slipped into the evening air linked arm in arm. She had a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes that he knew all too well. He had seen it before and he may have been sporting something similar. There was excitement in the air. The thrill of the mission was in the air and more than that the thrill of what was happening between them was ever present and growing. At the very least is was for him.

"Have a lovely evening Hyuuga-samas." The manager called in her croaky tones from the veranda with a hearty wave in their direction.

"Shall we crash a party?" she asked deviously before the pair was caught up in the hustle and bustle that were presumably other guests to the coveted function. The whole town was out to see the procession and Neji was grateful that even in her dress attire Sakura was abel to keep up with his longer strides. He looked down at her shoes and shortened his gate.

* * *

Party was not the appropriate word. A stuffy dinner was the best means of describing the affair they had just walked into. They were not even through the mansions gate yet and he knew what it was going to be like. The very air was drenched in the desperation of strained affluence, the type of extravagance that demanded visitors to acknowledge the amount of money spent on impressing them. Of course such frippery would hardly have such an effect on him. The Hyuuga halls had a subtle elegance that screamed old money and class.

The daimyo had put in considerable effort into simultaneously welcoming and intimidating all of his guests. His efforts were not a complete waste as a number of other guests were suitibly impressed and preoccupied with complimenting on the finery as the pair passed them. The house itself was far bigger than they had time to explore with rooms everywhere ranging number of floors. most concerning was the tower which had loomed over the forest but if Nej iwas any judge that would be the last place to store the vault. It would be somewhere less obvious

A coy, vanity filled laugh made him long for the hot springs and the seclusion it afforded. He had yet to repay his companion for her favour and he could not wait for the chance to do so.

The ruffle of silk and bowing of the other guests told him exactly who the coy smile belonged to. Their hostess had her eyes set on them as she sauntered her way through the other couples. She wore the most expensive silk that could be found in the region in the brightest red that anyone could find. She hid average features behind piles of caked on pricey makeup that he found many noble women leaned on for no apparent reason. Had she not been covered in so many layers of the stuff he imagined she might have a far more pleasant appearance with a bright young face and a mischievous smile when the moment took her. He doubted she realised that the daimyo hardly cared about her looks and most likely would have ben happy seeing the real her. Perhaps not. Her title was what her ambitious husband had courted her for. She was hardly loosing out on this match. After all the eldest son of a wealthy merchant was a good catch for a title owning family with little else. A good match for both families but more for his to gain than hers, he heard one of the wives whisper to her husband. It certainly explained the display of wealth the pair had put on for their guests.

More to the point he realised exactly what this woman expected when she swung her hips with each step towards him now ignoring his partner with a determination he had not seen in some time. She was the kind of person that got what she wanted, no matter the circumstance. Unfortunately for her he was the kind of man that was not used to being insisted upon.

Long fragile fingers extended out to him expecting to be taken. "Hyuuga-san, it is lovely to meet you at last." She batted her eye lashes and puckered red painted lips. Her plea for attention went unregarded as did her hand. Sakura glanced up at him and upon realising that he as not going to take their hostess' hand extended one of her own.

"Isano-sama the pleasure is ours," she said trying to hide a small smile when she felt his warm opal gaze on her.

"You are?" The young woman slid an annoyed glance over to the woman who held her chosen diversions attention so raptly. Neji knew what she intend and while spending the evening in Isano's presence would have been a good alibi he was not going to even consider it. He would find another way to make sure his presence was noted. This was the sort of woman that took even the tiniest of niceties as a sign that her advances were being accepted. There was not a chance in the whole world she was going to get even the slightest acknowledgement from him.

Instead he squeezed Sakura's free hand and slipped his other arm around her waist. recognition flashed across Isano's face and with the speed of having been burned on a hot skillet she recoiled.

"You are on you honeymoon correct?" Isano asked with an apprising eye that quickly turned into a barely concealed sneer. "How sweet."

"Indeed." The new voice was proud and booming at the door. The daimyo spread his arms out wide and welcomed his guests into the parlour. "I see some clouds gathering and we would not wish to have our guests taught in a drizzle. Please come in."

He was a young man, good looking and immaculate. He had a confidant stare with dark eyes and a long face that suited him. His colourful kimono was no less expensive than his wives and he had a feeling the silk merchant had made a pretty penny off of these two. Teal leaning towards green with gold and purple accents was quite the eye opening combination but he wore it with the utmost confidence. He appraised his guests and saddled up to an older couple in the sake trade. Most notably Neji found that the leading pair hardly suited. Young Miyaba was a few years older than his wife, young for a lord but not in other respects. And the height difference was rather concerning. Isano was incredibly petite, more so than Sakura, even with her shoes on, and while he was positive the man was not taller than Neji was, it looked a difficult match to manoeuvre.

With a huff Isano turned her gaze to another and one by one the guests moved into the home. He could hear the tell tale shuffle of armour within and that was when the guards spilled out from the halls and into their assignments for the night. "Oh look, they're trying to give us a challenge," Sakura whispered in his ear. He chuckled and used his byakugan to get a peak inside.

The complex was vast and complicated and he spotted a number of vaults and locked rooms, some containing china, other cash and jewels. One in particular caught his eye. Just under the ground floor on a short diversion from the main hall there was a concentration of four security members by one very large vault were not the same nins that had infiltrated the spa the nigh before but they were of the same caliber. He tapped her arm four times and a small smile spread across her cheeks. "Such lovely decorations," she said regarding a big blue vase as they walked down the hall and into the parlour that was as richly decoration as the dinning room that adjoined it. Gold and silver timings were unusually western given that the home itself and many of the paintings and artwork were not. The hall had clearly been re-done recently as had the main hall to resemble a ballroom.

Through another door way he saw what would be the after dinner entertainment. Geishas and sake in an ornate room for the men and he could only guess that the wives would be brought somewhere else. It was set to be a night to impress and entertain but it was hardly going to be that for him. He just wanted to get Sakura somewhere where he could kiss her senseless and make sure there were no missed signals between them or missed opportunities. He wanted to make sure she knew how he felt about it all, about her most importantly.

Neji leaned down to convey his message as quietly as possible. "Separate entertainment after dinner."

She shook her head smiling to counteract the negative motion. "Sooner my dear, sooner."

She had a plan and he knew what the signal was but he was expecting her to act later in the evening in an attempt to draw less attention. All the better in his opinion. The quicker they could get this done, the quicker they could leave. all the contradictions and poorly suited matches were giving him a slight headache. The good news was that he now had a fairly good idea the kind of man they were dealing with. Miyaba wanted new, innovative, progression but lacked the backing of the old to make it work. There were glass ceilings for merchants no matter how well thought of and a good name with power smoothed the was considerably. Even so there was only so much his wifes name could do in the shinobi villages. Miyaba would need another family with a well known name. He could use that to his advantage if given the change. He wondered briefly if Sakura had known that too but decide to bask in the glory of her foresight at a more opportune time.

"Hyuuga-san!" He heard the call of their host. The bright eyed lord appeared to have only just noticed him and seemed eager to bring him over now that he knew who one of the 'newlyweds' were. One of his advisors had informed the young man as he passed by. "Please come close. I wish to speak to you of many things." Attention it seems was the one thing they had in abundance thus no matter what time they made their move it would be noted. Not exactly ideal for stealthier part of the mission but having such indisputable account of his actions would serve well later he supposed.

"Hyuuga-sans you are most welcome in my home." The boisterous lord spread his hands palms up inform of him in an unusual but oddly conformable greeting. He sported a wide grin that was pleasant and complimented his brightly colored hat which sat askew atop his head. Next to him was a sour faced older man who turned away at the byukugans stare. He felt Sakura tap his arm lightly and realised what she meant. The Kiri symbol was tied around the older mans ankle.

Instead of greeting with the same over the top smile his host sported, Neji maintained the quiet calm demeanour he always sported during such introductions, and for life in general if he was honest. His deeply engrained Hyuuga etiquette was handy in such situations and as it had yet to fail him, he saw no reason to change such habits now. "We are grateful to have received an invitation," he said keeping eye contact as he inclined his head slightly.

The lordship was a post that their target had not quite gotten used to. He slipped back into the charming merchant salesman often and had to correct himself. Suddenly Neji was not surprised at the avid collections he was amassing. There was a certain kind of power in being the man with things that other people wanted. Realising his excitement had gotten the better of him, the Daimyo quickly followed suit and then signalled for them to join him. "Indeed. Please, walk with me. There is much I wish to learn about your profession." He turned around before they had fallen into step with him. Sakura tried to keep her surprise at his arrogance (or feigned arrogance, Neji could not quite tell which yet), not to show on her far but the subtle raise in her brows gave her away. With a small squeeze of his hand she wandered off to mingle with other guests for they both knew that the invitation was not really for her.

Neji allowed a small lift of the corner of his lips as one of the other wives cooed over a compliment sakura gave to her outfit. She would be fine without him, and make people more at ease without his presence hovering near by reminding them all who he was and what he did. Her gift of social timing was something to be envied he decided as the other women were just getting past the introductions and having found little to discuss were happy to have a fresh face to talk to. "There is only so much I can tell," he said and the daimyo waved his hands in a friendly manner as they walked into a well lit room that was open in the centre to allow for open conversation.

"Of course, I understand. Loyalties and all that. Even so I would ask and have you say what you can." His voice was even and unusually smooth. He had a general understanding of the nin world of that much could be seen right away. It made the conversation they were clearly about to have much easier to navigate.

With the understanding in place Neji felt more comfortable with continuing. As it stood he had to keep within sight of the main party for as long as possible in order to make everyone feel more comfortable with his presence. As it stood he was the shinobi in the building. "I will do my best to answer." He was going to try to create some fashion of ill deserved trust. Honesty he found was most often the best way to manage that, even when the overall result was a bold faced lie.

He kept an eye on Sakura who was surrounded by a gaggle of women. The hostess was certainly put out to an extent but Isano had found refuge with one of the younger men in the crowd who was happy to appease her need to be the centre of attention.

"Hyuuga-san, you are an active shinobi, yes?" The question was a quiet one, a change from his exuberant greeting earlier. Neji inclined his head gently but enough so the man standing on his left could see. "And you know your Kage well?" The second incline brought a pleased glimmer to his eye that was coupled with a grin. "Good. What would be the best gift to present to such a man for his favour?"

Neji had pretty good idea what the best answer would be but it was not often that such an answer would have been considered appropriate. He decided to go for it and give the honest response hoping honest would win him some more trust "Have you heard to Icha Icha?"

There was silence as the guests around him paused to look over to the speaker in surprise. His host did his best to remain calm but there was a laugh ready to bubble out at any second behind his smile. "Truly? Of course I have. I had heard it was a favourite of his, as sake was a favourite of the great Tsunade-sama but I assumed the rumours to be just that." A number of the men standing around nodded in agreement.

The middle-aged sake dealer with a round face and the distinct smell of sake surrounding him chimed in. "Would a bottle of the finest sake not be a more prudent and subtle gift?"

Neji was hardly taken aback by the suggestion and based on the other guests reactions neither was anyone else. "To impress his council certainly. To impress him, no." He responded to the man and kept up with the lord that began to walk away from the men that had surrounded them.

"Honesty is a refreshing quality Hyuuga-san. I appreciate your candour. I invited another nin to this event but he has not been so frank with me." Both men looked over to the older shinobi that he and Sakura had spotted earlier. The enemy Kiri nin frowned in his direction and kept a cautious eye on Neji, which only seemed fair. That was, in part, what he was there for and Neji was glad that his end of the mission was being held up so well. "And what of your uncle? Where would his favours lay?"

Neji thought about it for a moment. He knew where this was going. Of course Miyaba wanted an in with the Hyuuas. Hyuuga backing in Konoha could make him a great deal of connections and in the end a great deal of money. Perhaps it would be a decent way to pay him back for what they were about to do. He did not seem like a terrible guy. A bit arrogant perhaps, a bit up his own ass but the same had been said about Neji many times in the past. "My uncle is a man who wants for naught but there is always room in his home for a gift of unique elegance and beauty, particularly if it is one of a kind."

Miyaba-sama nodded and a light bulb went off in his head. Neji would see he had an idea already, one that would cost the lord a pretty penny but one had to spend money to earn money occasionally. this would be one of those occasions. "I see. Most helpful indeed. I am sure it comes as no surprise why I am asking you such questions. I wish to expand my fathers trade. The shinobi villages are the best way to do so."

"There is great risk trading with more than one village. Disputes spring up often as is the nature of what we do."

Neji had not said anything they both did not already know, but it was worth pointing out anyway. "Of course. There is also security. Shinobi villages always come back especially the established ones like Konoha."

Neji had to agree with that. The greater the risk the bigger the gain or so his uncle had said many times before. He had never had too much cause to listen as it was intended to speak of economic growth. He supposed it could be applied to other avenues but as of yet he had never specifically done so. "Our Kage is always looking for new partners." They stopped in the centre of the room having taken a full turn around the place in front of a beautiful painting that was more demure than some of its more garish neighbours.

"Wonderful to know. Let us hope he smiles favourably on my proposition." The man considered Neji for a moment and then stated an obvious fact of his own. "You must be a shinobi of some rank Hyuuga-san."

"Hn."

The top if his hat jiggled as Miyaba chuckled. "I do not expect you to confirm. What do you think of my men here?" His hand waved around flippantly. He presumed correctly that Neji had already scoped out the guards.

"They look impressive," he said carefully, choosing the best words possible. He did not know who had provided the guards but he could only guess they came from a near by village, or Kiri perhaps. The sign they wore was the daimyos, which was unusual but perhaps he and the kage had come to an agreement about their service.

"Ah, but are they? You see, I know not what I am looking at and I cannot tell if the kage has sent his best or just a few he can spare." There was Neji's confirmation. He would have loved to give Kakashi some intel concerning where the nins came from but he doubted that such a question would breed confidence. Besides the answer to such questions seemed fairly obvious. Kiri and Konoha were the only representatives there and Miyaba clearly wanted in at the start of this profitable new trade deal.

Neji activated his tekkie genkai. He could see their chakra, see the reserves they kept at bay as it flowed through thier systems. Nothing impressive but he knew better than to judge them purely by that. Who better than he to know that a nin was more than just chakra. Thoughts of a particularly loud teammate flashed in his mind and he did his best not to cringe at the overly light green spandex that was so disliked by so many. "To be frank I would have to fight them to know for sure but I have a fairly good idea the rank of shinobi you have been sent."

"Oh?" the lord asked, and then noted the veins on his temples before turning his gaze away quickly. "Your byukugan, of course..." There was curiosity there. A great deal of it. Neji was sure the lord wanted to stare but was refraining in an attempt to be polite. He hardly minded. He had become quite accustomed to ignoring which ever person had presently chosen to stare at him in order to see what he was actually interest in looking at. Naruto was particularly bad at such things and had the worst timing. The jinchuriki always chose to stare when Neji actually needed to concentrate.

The guard nins were perfectly heathly specimens and just to be sure Neji gave a quick glance over the signatures of the guards in the other halls."They are adequate to guard your stores," he confirmed with confidence. Each shinobi that was guarding the vault was a chunin based on their chakra alone. Of course should someone of a higher caliber visit the vault they would be in serious trouble.

"But not the best, correct?" Neji's silence was answer enough. "I see." Miyaba did not seem disappointed but thoughtful instead, the kind of thoughtful that often landed some poor individual in a great deal of trouble. Neji could see the wheels in his head turning and decided to intercept him assumptions.

"A Kage rarely sends out his best for guard work, but he has sent you good men."

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sakura go increasingly pale and fan herself a bit. After a few seconds she discreetly exited the room in rather a rush stumbling as she went. It took all he had not to bolt out of the room after her but he knew that this was the plan. He hardly expected it so soon but was glad to have it happen.

Neji remained calm but watched with his byakugan activated, following Sakura out into the gilded hallway. There were a few guests loitering there and one buzzed about her in concern.

A woman who appeared to be in her early thirties approached the younger Sakura. There was deep concern in he wide brown eyes as she took in Sakuras appearance. 'My dear you look dreadfully pale.' Soon the two women who had been in the hall with the kind eyed guest were hovering over Sakura as well.

'I do not feel well at all,' she admitted to the women blinking as if the room was beginning to spin.

'Stay here dear and I will fetch a medic for you. No doubt the oaf at the hotel has tied your obi too tight.' The brown eyed woman trotted off to find help and quietly entered the main hall in search of someone to discretely fetch a medic having no idea she had just left the finest medic in the shinobi world to her won devices.

'Happens to us all I'm afraid.' The second woman patted Sakura on the back and then quietly moved away with little sympathy.

The third, older woman had shuffled over lifting a shaky hand towards the farthest end of the hall down towards the vault and guards. 'The restroom is just that way. you can sit there and composes yourself. I will get you some water.'

The women darted off and he could vaguely hear Miyaba-sama discussing trade routes with him. The occasional acquiesting 'Hn' served as proof that he was still engaged in the conversation but truly his attention was else where. Sakura stumbled down the hall and into the fumbling arms of one of the four shinobi guarding the vault. He could see the words on their lips.

'Forgive me. I was looking for the wash room. I do not feel well.' The four nins could see that for themselves and quickly split into different opinions.

A big brawny man that was closest to her stretched out his hand to help her. 'You don't seem well. Minato, help me.' A short thin man rushed over to support Sakura's right side. They were clearly intending to guide her over to the hall that extended our to the left where Sakura would have headed if she were actually ill. The click of someones teeth informed the medic that not all of them were such good Samaritans.

'We have to check the vault.' A woman with long orange and red hair with tattoos on her exposed upper arms furrowed her brows. Her arms folded in defiance waiting for her teammates to remember what they were there for. On her belt were an array of weapons but most nautically an unusual mask and Neji wondered fi she felt the need to use such equipment to combat her techniques.

The big man snorted and signalled for the stocky fourth man to open the vault and Neji knew she had them. 'So two of you check it while we help the lady.'

The woman strapped a mask onto her face and rolled her eyes. 'Fine'.

The nin opened the vault door and Sakura lurched forward as soon as there was space to hook her foot. She held it open with her strength even while the mask wearer tugged at it, while fog poured out into the hall. He watched her holding her breath as the fog approached her face. As soon as the fog hit her skin she fell to the ground theatrically. Three of the guards were too late to save themselves. The men blinked blearily and crumpled to the floor one at a time while the masked woman stared about her in slight shock. Quick as a flash Sakura reached up and latched her fingers under the mask and allowed the smoke to sneak into the enemys lungs. She fell without truly noticing Sakura's movements. Sakura stood and slipped behind the vault door. Just before the metal closed completely two small fingers darted out as a signal for him.

He heard the shift in Miyaba's tone more than the actual words stood out and focused his attention back to the lord while keeping track as the seconds ticked by.

The young lord turned to face him directly and lifted a hand to stroke his beardless chin. "I must admit your presence intrigued me. I was a tad concerned but after meeting you and your lovely wife I have been put at ease."

"Hn."

"I am pleased you ventured out at all. We were sure you might turn us down." If it had been up to him they would have. In fact if it was up to him they really would have been here on vacation. He could hardly tell the young daimyo that.

He did not really know how to answer so he thought of what his uncle might say and then thought better of it. Hiashi was was often quite direct, sometimes too direct. So he thought of what his grandfather might say to someone he was trying to saddle up to. "It would be unconscionable to turn down such a request."

That did the trick. Miyaba grinned in understanding. "Duty first yes? I know the feeling. Tell me Hyuuga-san did you marry for love?" The question was barely in the air long enough for anyone to think about why it had been set there.

Neji answered without thinking but once the word came out he knew that given the woman he was pretending to be married to the answer would have been true. "Yes."

"How truly lucky you are. As it stands I am sorry to have dragged you away from time with your blushing bride. She is truly a beauty in appearance and manner."

He felt a beam of pride and also the pang of worry race through him at the same time. The woman that made his blood race, that he had yet to respond to, was running out of oxygen inside a vault, waiting on him. Waiting on him to free her, kiss her and tell her how he felt. Better yet show her. Whatever just so long as he got her out of that damned vault and out of the overbearing summer house. "She is," he said with conviction. It was time to go get her. He looked around the room pretending to search for her.

"If only such a match had been possible for me." He had the air of regret about him but it only lasted a second. One look at his surroundings and his sacrifice was justified, at least to Miyaba. Neji could not say he understood the choice.

"Excuse me Miyaba-sama. I must attend to my wife. She seems to have left." Quick as he could he sent his long legs towards the main hall where if one walked far enough down and all the way to the right a set of stairs could be found that lead to the vault.

He could hear the other women twittering as stalked out of the room. 'Look how doting,' 'isn't it lovely,' and 'such a fine young man' could be heard floating after him.

The vault would not be hard to find even for a civilian. It was not hidden very well, though it was disguised to have the same appearance as the rest of the wall. the vault door was thick and painted the same dark green as the wall it stood within. He could see the inside cogs as they clicked into place while he twisted the camouflaged dial. Why the secrecy was deemed necessary he was not sure. After all the presence of four guards standing out in front of the door was hardly a way to keep suspicions at bay. The last click was in place, and while he saw the cogs fall into place he felt them as well. He turned the handle. The vault door was barely open when Sakura bolted through the space.

"Kami, it's been a while since I've had to hold my breath that long," she whispered, slightly out of breath.

"Are you alright?" he asked with his hands on her shoulders to get a good look at her. There was not anything that stood out to him immediately that was not alright but not but a few minutes before she had been white as a sheet and collapsing on the ground. She had popped up quickly enough and had taken care of everything without any issues but still he was concerned.

She noticed and for a moment their eyes connected and she held his opal gaze with her emerald orbs. "Hm? Oh that," she smiled and turned her head away. "Just an old trick I learned from Tsunade-sama so she could get out of work."

"Good." He wanted to laugh with relief. She had looked genuinely ill before but the colour was back in her cheeks and the shine was glimmering form her eyes as if she had just done something a bit naughty. Of course he had seen the whole exchange and had known she was alright but even so her complexion had been concerning.

"You aright? You seemed concerned," she said with a side long glance full of what he thought was hope.

He kept his eyes on her and pushed an errant strand of hair behind that wig they both disliked so much. "I was. You'll be doing it again?" he asked letting his fingers linger at her jaw line. The thought of seeing her like that again made him very uncomfortable but he could not quite describe exactly why had him so concerned. it was a feeling he had yet to experience. There was a small amount of contained panic and he felt helpless. She still did not look quite the say she should, her normal spunkiness was somewhat absent and he wondered what was in that fog she so easily walked into.

She blush slightly but the sentiment was quickly gone. They had a job to finish. Pleasantries could wait until they were clear of the house at the very least."Meet me back here in a minute and we can give our apologies." She knelt down and made her self look a bit more disheveled. "I'll just wake them up."

Neji understood and quickly made his way back into the parlour but kept his vision trained on the events occurring by the vault. Sakura held up a chakra laden hand and passed it over each one linger just long enough to take effect. One by one the began to stir and she lay down completely on the floor between them.

"Mame are you alright?' the big guy asked. He clearly had a soft spot for those in a tight spot or possibly just for her. He could hardly blame the guy.

Sakura blinked and looked around having just woken from a hazy dream. She clutch her head, fingers lacing into the fake black hair. 'I think so. what happened?'

'You passed out but you should be fine. Here rest a moment and we will have you back on your feet.'

She sent a smile in the mens direction and set them all at ease. 'Thank you. I don't want my husband to worry.'

The purple haired woman snapped in a whisper, 'If Miyaba-sama ever finds out...' She trailed off in concern over what had yet to happen, something he was sure all four would be concerned with for some time.

'Finds out about what?' she asked innocently with wide green eyes.

'Nothing you need worry about Miss,' said the short thin man signalling to his team member to keep her mouth shut.

He saw the daimyo approach and focused his attention on the host who clearly liked him week enough to trust his word. "Hyuuga-san how is your wife? Will she need the medic?"

"Not well, I am afraid. But she asked not to call for one." He did not need to act. The concern was there, for Sakura appeared to still be less in control of herself than she usually was but still something was off. Still her chakra seemed to be flowing properly and he had to wonder what other tricks she knew to achieve such a convincing illness on spot. He was once again reminded what she could do when she set her mind to it. There was a great possibility that she had already counteracted whatever the problem was or had even started the problem herself to add an element of truth to the story.

The older woman who had promised to retrieve help but had been too slow in her attempt shuffled up behind them eavesdropping. She nodded in solidarity and chimed in her two cents."Her obi was tied too tight."

Miyaba frowned but did not seem surprised. His own wife was sweating profusely in her evening attire and seemed quite uncomfortable. The price of beauty was steeper than most perceived. "I see. Such things do happen," he said glancing around the room as if to shake off his lack of understanding. He gave the older woman a small forced smile, which sent her away feeling her opinion had been appreciated. Only when she had shuffled a few feet off did Miyaba turn his concerned gaze back to Neji. "Will she be well enough to join us?"

He shook hs head lightly and turned his head towards the door. "I do not think so. She's currently indisposed." His explanation did not need to be further explained. There was something about the word 'indisposed' that had an effect on people. They rarely asked further questions about the problem but instead focused on the solution instead.

Such turned out to be the case this time. Miyaba assumed he had the main problem under control and moved straight to the next problem. "Did you find somewhere for her to rest?"

He wanted to snort but knew that would not go down well. Of course that was a concern for the host. The last thing one wanted was for the rest of his guests to be put off because of an inconvenient illness. "Yes, she is in need of more water which I will bring to her presently." The Daimiyo snapped his finger and an assistant rushed forward with water. The young girl bowed her head and lifted the beverage to Neji's now upturned hand. "Thank you."

"Hyuuga-san," Miyaba said gaining the nins attention which was focused out in the hall. His feet were already turned to walk towards Sakura and he had to pause in his escape. "Please let me know if there is anything that can be done." Neji was sure the man was sincere yet there was a disappointment in his voice.

Neji locked eyes with the host Daimyo stared at his byakugan with fascination, taking into account the veins throbbing on his forehead with a morbid sense of curiosity. He had been wanting to stare all night to see what the legendary eyesight was capable of but staring would not tell him that. "I will. I believe she will need some rest so it is time for us to head to the springs," Neji said, allowing his host to stare for a moment.

Miyaba finally showed his true colors. A man that liked to collect was clearly trying to collect him, more importantly he wasted his power and knowledge of the shinobi world. It mattered not what he wanted and they both knew that. Miyaba had influence of his own but he could see the dormant power that resided in Neji's formidable stare. He let loose a small smile and held out his hand. "Of course. I will be sorry not to continue our conversation," he admitted with a thoughtful grin.

"Hn. Another time perhaps." Neji might actually like to see the man again, granted the daimyo never found out they were currently robbing him blind.

"Indeed." The lord inclined his head, something that usually would not have occurred without Neji having been the one to bow first. The young lord liked him, found his insight refreshing and no doubt Hiashi-sama would be thrilled to hear that he had made a potential new connection for the clan.

All of that could wait until later. He disappeared and reappeared in front of his partner. "Anata?" he called out and met her half way between the nins who he greatly suspected that in other circumstances would have worn a Kiri symbol. He handed one of them the glass of water he held and took her into his arms. He supported her, pulling her up and guiding her towards the door.

Before they could reach the front entrance they were intercepted by a sour faced hostess. Isano approached and layered on a sugar sweet tone that was dripping with venom. "My dear are you alright?"

Sakura inclined her head and gave her best fake tired smile. "I will be. Silly outfits will be the death of me one day."

"I wish you to stay for dinner but it seems you may be in need of rest. When do you leave?" Isano turned her suggestive eyes to Neji but found his attention once more elsewhere.

He squeezed her powerful hand. "Tomorrow. We have clan matters to attend to." He added the last part as an excuse but it was a good one and one that would not be pushed.

Isano clicked her tongue. "Such a short time away. You must come back and visit us again." She held her arms out to display her expensive attire and show off the home that now had the finical backing to show it's full potential.

"We would be delighted," Sakura said.

"Good. We look forward to seeing you again." Isano was polite but as clipped as she could be whilst still maintaining her congeniality. She turned on her heel and returned to her remaining guests.

They walked in silence for a few minutes. The sun had almost completely set in the night sky as they traveled down the forest path. Lines of pink and purple jutted through the landscape and had they not been calmly fleeing from a crime she would have stopped to enjoy the scene. Had he not be so focused on her he may have noticed it too. Such as it was he was happy to miss it for a few extra moments with her.

"That went very well," she said jovially patting what could only be the scrolls attached to her legs under the layers of smooth navy silk.

"Hn."

"Oh, yeah, Kaka-sensei will be very pleased. Got more than he asked for." She slipped a leg out from the confines of her kimono and looked up at him. Suddenly her demeanour changed and the silk that she held in her hand settle back over the rows of tied on scrolls. "You ok?"

With her head tilted to the side like that and the light forming a halo around her like and angel he found there was no better time to start giving her direct answers. "No," he said calmly. The small word spoken was was true, he was not alright. He had not felt this off centre in some time and the worry and concern had caused a great deal of anxiety in him that was only just now beginning to surface. He finally had time to process it for what it was and with the mission's main

"What's wrong?" she asked taking his hand in hers and drawing in close.

"You put yourself in danger," he said. The whole thing sounded ridiculous when the words came out. Sakura was more than capable of handling herself in that situation. In fact she was the best person equipped for such an eventuality.

"The fog? That was just a bit of mild nerve gas." She shrugged and looked way. "Besides I put myself in danger all the time. Part of the job."

She had a point but he was not really willing to say so just at that moment. They all put themselves in danger, but still he wanted to object. Neji grunted to disagree. Nerve gas? She had willingly walked straight into some fashion of nerve gas? She was a wonder and that pang of worry in his chest coupled with a number of other things grew. He could feel the scowl that had settled on his own face the moment the phrase 'nerve gas' left her lips as if it was no big deal. It may not have been much to her but to any other nin it would have spelled death. He had seen her survive things that would have killed others due to her knowledge and expertise but even she could have been injured if she had inhaled the slightest bit of it. At the same time he knew there must have been a way of combatting the stuff. She had woken the guards easily enough. Still it was enough to make his knees shake and he finally knew what had him so distinctly unsettled. In turn Sakura frowned, clearly confused and his lack of communication was not helping. He did not know quite how to say it but there were other ways of expressing things. "I don't-"

Sakura never go the chance to finish what she had to say. Lips sealed over her own and as neji backed her into the closest stable thing he could find. The tree bark bit into her back gently and she pressed herself against him and into the kiss he was lavishing on her. His large hands cradled the back of her head. They got lost in each other and soon she had wrapped one leg around his waist to bring him as close as she could get him. His other hand roamed freely bringing a groan from his breathless companion. The rough bark grazed the back of his knuckles and he remembered where they were. Not out here. Not so close to the target they had just robbed. He almost chastised himself but thought better of it. There was no harm done and while it had been a tad impetuous he had been waiting to do that for so long. It was well worth the risk.

When they pulled back opal eyes shone out into the darkening night pinning her in place. "Not while I'm with you." He was completely serious and she found that if she looked closely there were a great many things she could see in those silvery depths.

She laughed lightly and stroked the distinctive line of his jaw. "Why do you think I was alright with the plan in the first place?" She placed a light kiss on his lips and a smile.

"Hn."

"I was beginning to think I had the wrong idea," she confessed, her smile turning sheepish as she stared at him from under thick lashes.

He left a lingering kiss on her lips and pulled back from the tree. "Come. We should get back."

"Oh?" He could hear the disappointment in her voice and once more his pride soared. He had pulled away much sooner than he would have liked but he would make it up to her as soon as they were along.

"I'm a selfish man. I want you all to myself," he said, raising her hand so he could kiss the back of it. The desire in his eyes could not have been hidden even if he was to try and hide it, which he most certainly was not. He figured the more she could of his feelings the better.

This time the blush was in full swing and an impish quirk of her lips was surprisingly alluring to him. "Good. I'm selfish too." She bumped his hip with hers and poked his rib cage. "You've been holding out on me Hyuuga Neji."

It was his turn to shrug this time although he was not sure if he had the gesture right when he did so. "Didn't want to scare you off." He took a long glance at her and asked what he had been wanting to ask since she had gone completely pale earlier. "Are you alright?"

The admission was met with that light laugh he was so fond of and the biggest grin he had ever seen from her. "You couldn't have scared me off if you tried." her spunk was back and he realised what she had appeared to be so distracted. She had probable been running checks on herself to make sure she wasn't effected. "Tip top shape partner." She answered his question with a playful grin.

He smirked and laced his fingers with hers as they walked down the path a briskly as they could manage. "Good to know." He had plans for this evening and now those plans could move ahead now that he knew she was alright and equally as important, she had accepted him. She had accepted him. Just the thought mad whim light as air. The woman next to him swung their linked arms back and forth lightly and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked.

"Acting faces back on." Sakura said as they approached the hotel form the wooded side where a small entrance to the veranda would taken them in closer to their room. They had not seen anyone else use it yet, but neither cared in that moment. "Good evening." Sakura called to the manager who was clearly surprised to find them back so soon.

"Hyuuga-samas, you are back early. Shall we fetch you some dinner?"

"Yes, leave it outside after a knock and no wake up call tomorrow." His command was heard but they were hardly visible for long as they raced int their room.

The old manager shook her head and thought back to happier times. Young love was such a wonderful thing. "Of course." She shuffled away to attend to the evening meals knowing they had not heard her and not really caring much if they had.

They had only just closed the door when Sakura pulled a scroll out form under her attire. "We should put these away," she said with more than a little disappointment peaking through the tatters of her professionalism. The mission was not technically over but it may as well have been. They would not be disturbed again.

"Later," he said as he stalked over to her. With nimble fingers the multi coloured scrolls were untied and cast off to the side in a forgotten pile until morning.

* * *

End Comments: So thats it for now. i suppose i could end it here if i wanted... ill sleep on it and update this when i know for sure. i think i might also embellish some parts of this sooner rather than later but its been too long since my last update and i promised a lovely reviewer i would have this up today. so there it was. until next time darlins!


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